1
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
it's torture for me to see you so unhappy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in agony
a state of great suffering of body or mind
spent an afternoon in torture waiting to hear whether her brother had made it home safely
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1
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
the neighbor's dog constantly tortures our cat, barking at him and chasing him down the street
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2
as in to distort
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition
tortured her naturally straight hair into curls
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of torture
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2025
The two geriatric foes square-off nightly for a game of cat-and-mouse that involves Crealy using Jenny — both as a mask to deflect the suspicion of the nursing staff and as an instrument of torture with the Judge.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
Efrat Lachter, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
Police Chief Todd Chamberlain previously said the victims, a man and woman who lived at the complex, were bound, pistol-whipped, threatened and tortured for hours.
—Max Levy, The Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for torture
Noun
The ship's Gravity Drive — which, appropriately, looks like an elaborate torture device from a horror movie — uses a black hole to fold space, creating a gateway between two distant locations.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2025
The two geriatric foes square-off nightly for a game of cat-and-mouse that involves Crealy using Jenny — both as a mask to deflect the suspicion of the nursing staff and as an instrument of torture with the Judge.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
The Hamas terrorists tortured them daily, hitting them, denying them food while eating in front of them.
—Efrat Lachter, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
Police Chief Todd Chamberlain previously said the victims, a man and woman who lived at the complex, were bound, pistol-whipped, threatened and tortured for hours.
—Max Levy, The Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for torture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torture
Noun
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For Prince’s team, the damning press was a waking nightmare.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
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As a quiet panic becomes obvious in Ryan’s eyes, the happy return begins to feel like a nightmare.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Another video showed a woman wailing in agony over one of the victims.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
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On a nation’s struggle and agony; the nature of democracy; Trump vs. Canada; and more On Monday, next to the Hudson River in New York, there was a demonstration.—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Relying heavily on retrospective interviews and self-reporting, these approaches, still widely used in marketing and management, are plagued by recall bias and rationalization.—
Benjamin Voyer,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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Now comes a lengthy report published by the Independent Rikers Commission that states the obvious: the offshore complex, plagued by violence and apathy to the level of unconstitutionality, will not close by the date set six years ago by the City Council.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Trump portrait removed from Colorado Capitol after president called it 'distorted' Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2025
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And Washington demanded that the Chinese government stop subsidizing the production and export of goods, which distorted the global marketplace.—
Michael B. G. Froman,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Former Spurs man Ryan Sessegnon put the game beyond doubt with minutes remaining, curling into the top corner to further compile the travelling supporters’ misery.—
Elias Burke,
The Athletic,
17 Mar. 2025
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Rick’s revenge fantasy might be more of a death drive, a desire to finally end his misery at the barrel of a stranger’s gun.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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While local authorities have since said the incident spawned from a physical altercation between two attendees, and that firearms were not involved, the resulting melee left at least 10 people with non-life-threatening injuries and numerous claiming emotion distress.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
15 Mar. 2025
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Garcia’s damages included physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, humiliation, inconvenience, grief, disfigurement, physical impairment, anxiety and emotional distress, according to a recording of the verdict from Courtroom View Network.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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At least two of them fled Venezuela in part because Tren de Aragua was persecuting them, according to the lawsuit.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
18 Mar. 2025
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Yoon’s conservative supporters have latched on to his arguments as well as his unsubstantiated claims of election fraud, strongly echoing the dynamic between President Donald Trump and supporters who say he has been wrongly persecuted by a corrupt judicial system.—
Beomsu Jo,
NBC News,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Alec speaks plainly of his state of torment since the incident, and Hilaria speaks repeatedly of the losses of Hutchins’s family, including her now-motherless son.—
Peter Tonguette,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
21 Mar. 2025
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The clip showed life before the tragedy — carpool rides and sing-a-longs with the kids as well as festive house parties with the neighbors gathered together — followed by Céline finding her son Max seconds too late, and the torment both families faced as a result.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torture. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.
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